Baylor University has announced that Athletic Director Mack Rhoades will resign from his position, ending a nearly decade-long tenure at the school.
The move comes shortly after Rhoades took a leave of absence earlier this month, sparking questions about the future of Baylor’s athletics program.
Rhoades, who joined Baylor in 2016, released a statement about the decision, citing personal and familial reasons for stepping down.
“I find myself in a season of life where I need to prioritize my faith and my family with an intentional focus that requires me to move on from my role as caretaker of this great athletics program,” he wrote, according to ESPN.
During his time at Baylor, Rhoades oversaw significant growth in the athletics department through record-breaking fundraising efforts and multiple national championships, including one in men’s basketball, one in women’s basketball, and nine in acrobatics & tumbling.
Rhoades continued his statement by calling Baylor the “absolute best of the best” and saying that he will “forever cherish the memories and friendships” made during his tenure with the university, per ESPN.
Baylor President Linda Livingstone praised Rhoades’ leadership in a letter to those involved with the university, writing that Rhoades led the program “through a period of remarkable rebuilding and achievement.”
“These victories were not just about athletic excellence — they were moments that brought the Baylor Family together, united in joy and spirit.”
The full details behind the initial leave of absence and subsequent resignation have not been released at this time. However, Baylor Vice President Jason Cook has confirmed that the decision did not involve Title IX, student-athlete welfare, NCAA rules violations, or anything related to the football program, as reported by the Associated Press.
The university did not immediately announce a successor.
Livingstone indicated that Baylor will search for an Athletic Director who can continue the school’s competitive success while upholding its Christian mission.
“I am certain that we will find a new AD who shares in this competitive commitment, aligns with and supports Baylor’s Christian mission, and can lead us into this next era of intercollegiate athletics,” she wrote in the letter.
In addition to his role as Baylor’s athletic director, Rhoades served as the College Football Playoff selection committee chairman.
Looking ahead, that role will now be filled by Arkansas athletic director Hunter Yurachek. However, it remains unclear whether Yurachek will retain this role permanently or only until the end of the current college football season, per the AP.
Utah Athletic Director Mark Harlan is also expected to step in for Rhoades as the Big 12 representative for the College Football Playoff Committee.
With the Baylor athletic program now in transition following the resignation, attention will turn to how the university fills the vacancy and maintains the momentum built during his tenure.
